This blog has nothing to do with gorillas (though I love 'em)...fellow bloggers have inspired me to share vintage images of Disneyland from my personal collection. But don't be surprised if you see something from a World's Fair, Knott's Berry Farm, or someplace else that is cool!

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Groups of Disneyland images almost invariably include several photos of the venerable Mark Twain sternwheeler. It was just too eye-catching to ignore.

The mature trees and shrubs encircling the Rivers of America make these images look a bit different from older pictures. It's pretty, but I wonder if they don't overwhelm the scenery a bit? Hard to say.

I can almost hear the banjo music. Make it stop! (I kid because I love).

It's about to pass that old house "…some folks claim that it's haunted. And they say if ya listen real close, you can hear the ghosts a-moanin' and a-groanin'". (That's from the 1988 Twain spiel).

Nanook, I wasn't trying to channel "Fortuosity", (it took me a second to realize what you were referring to), but I can see why it looks that way! I've never seen "The Happiest Millionaire", but by all accounts it is a real dud.

When the weather’s a dream,And your stack’s full of steam,That’s swell!When your boat’s trimmed with brass,And the river’s like glass,That’s swellier!But when there’s a crowd,And there’s nary a cloud in the sky -You’ll be having a ball as you lazily trawl. Spring or Fall:That’s the swelliest time of all!

Thanks for posting more great pics of the Mark Twain! I never see that boat that the terrific old theme song from "The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" don't come to mind: We got the steam up, you built the dream up; Big river's calling you, listen, my friend.Follow that river, that mighty river,There's real adventure 'round every bend.'

Hear that whistle blow! See that paddle go! Who know's what we're heading toward?

That Mississippi, she is a mystery. She's just a-waitin' there to be explored. Go get your gear, mate. We'll meet you here, mate. Old captain's shoutin' "Welcome aboard!"

I guess to my generation of the Sixties, that show WAS Huck, Tom and Becky Thatcher!

I think it only ran one season (1968?) and featured live action actors playing Huck, Tom, and Becky, superimposed on a cartoon background, with various cartoon villains and locales. None of the three actors were big names, but Richard "Jaws" Kiel supplied the voice of Injun Joe. I believe both the beginning and ending titles, at least, are on You Tube (maybe whole episodes, too). I have the series on a set of "bootleg" DVDs, myself.